no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus and then there shall be no Correction to them And as all the Offerings of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasant to the Lord so all the Dispensations of God shall be pleasant to Judah and Jerusalem Thus much concerning the Sacrifices mentioned in this Prophecy both for the kinds of them and what they signifie Now for the farther clearing of the holiness of these Sacrifices consider two things 1. There will be an Altar sanctifying them For we read of an Altar Chap. 43.13 And a measured Altar being of God's appointment These are the Measures of the Altar Which was not meant of any material Altar set up after the Return from Babylon But as the Apostle speaks of the true Tabernacle so this here is the true Altar which God hath erected and not Man even that mentioned Heb. 13.10 We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle Christ in respect of his Godhead is this Altar sanctifying the Gifts which are offered upon it 1. Christ gave himself and the Altar sanctified this Gift the Divine Nature being the Altar that sanctified the Humane Nature and made the Sacrifice to be of infinite value and worth and altogether sufficient to take away Sin As Man's sin had infinite evil in it so Christ's Obedience to Death and the Righteousness which he fulfilled brought infinite Glory to God he being an infinite Person who fulfilled the Righteousness and so the Offence is made void thereby 2. This Altar sanctifies Believers and their Gifts offered upon it Isa 56.7 Their Sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar Rev. 8.3 Christ adding Incense offers up the Prayers of Saints upon the Golden Altar Now this occasion being given for unfolding somewhat of the Mystery of the Altar three things more may be added for a farther discovery thereof 1. The Names given to the Altar are worthy of observation and here are two Names by which it is called in one Verse Chap. 43.15 The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mountain of God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lion of God Certainly there is much of Mystery in these Names We do not find the Altar called by these Mames elsewhere in Scripture onely Isa 29.1 The City Jerusalem is called by this Name probably because of the Altar there I shall take notice of the latter Name in the first place The Lion of God so called because the Altar did devour the Beasts offered upon it as the Lion doth his Prey which may have some signification here For 1. The Sacrifices brought to this Altar will be slain and the Fire of it will devour Flesh in them and consume it But yet when Nature as corrupt shall be slain a Divine Nature shall live and so the Sacrifices will be living Sacrifices Rom. 12.1 And the reasonable Creature being renewed shall perform reasonable service Those that come to this Altar are crucified with Christ yet live as Paul said of himself Gal. 2.20 A Saint laid on this Altar is dead as carnal but lives by Christ living in him When Christ was offered as Man he died but the Altar the Divine Nature did live which as it did sanctifie so afterwards it did enliven the Sacrifice again Thus 't is with the Saints they are put to death in the flesh but live in the Spirit by this living Altar And thus the power of this Altar will more eminently appear in destroying Flesh and corrupt Nature in the Saints of that Glorious Church which is to be in the World 2. This Altar will be a Lion of God to its Enemies who shall be a Prey to it Enemies it hath Some deny its Being as the Divine Nature of Christ this the Arrians did of old the Socinians do it now And as these would make void this Altar in its Being so there are others who go about to make it void in its use that is as an Altar Thus the Papists who would find out other ways for acceptance with God as their own Merits and Saints Mediation Now this Lion of God will at last rise up to the Prey and devour all its Enemies True he couches now but these Enemies will not leave stirring and provoking till they rouze him up and then he shall destroy them at once Rev. 6.9 10. The Souls under the Altar cry how long O Lord dost thou not avenge our Blood on them that dwell on the Earth And it was answered That they must rest till their Brethren which are to be killed as they should be fulfilled And then as Rev. 14.18 An Angel shall come out from the Altar having Power over Fire crying with a loud voice unto him that hath the sharp Sickle saying thrust in thy Sickle and gather the Clusters of the Vine of the Earth for her Grapes are fully ripe Now when the Altar hath done its Work as the Lion of God what shall it be then and how shall it appear Then it shall be called by this name Harel the Mountain of God The Enemies of this Altar have endeavoured to obscure it and to hinder any from coming to it or looking towards it The Gentiles possessing the outward Court do hide this Altar so that 't is seen but by a few viz. The measured Worshippers in the Temple And these Gentiles set up other Altars as Jeroboam did to hinder Men from coming to this Yet this Altar remains and there are true Worshippers that come to it by Faith and offer their Gifts upon it Rev. 11.1 But when this Glorious Temple shall be built then this Altar shall appear For the Gentiles that hide it shall be driven out of the outward Court and Christ shall be then more clearly seen as Priest Sacrifice and Altar For when the Temple of God shall be opened as the Ark of his Testament so the Altar shall be seen and that as the Mountain of God before which all other Altars will be â—hrown down for ever Christ will be gloriously visible as God-Man as King Priest Prophet and Altar And when the Name of this Altar shall be the Mountain of God then the Souls under the Altar and hid with Christ in God shall stand before it and Christ appearing they shall appear with him in Glory 2. We read of the Settle of this Altar Chap. 45.19 The Blood was to be put upon the Settle of the Altar And Chap. 43.14 mention is made of the greater and the lesser Settle What may we conceive to be meant hereby Surely as the Divine Nature is the Altar so the Humane Nature is the Settle thereof For in the Humane Nature of Christ did the fulness of the Godhead settle and there it dwells Bodily And this is the greater Settle of the Altar And as the Apostle saith Hebrews 13.10 We have an Altar so those that have this Altar are the lesser Settle of it and in special as chiefly here meant that Glorious Church which shall be after the
after shall be shewn thus Heaven is sometimes taken And 't is to be observed that the Ruling part of that World was exceeding corrupt For those that were highest in power were most eminent in wickedness The great Men were the greatest Sinners and did fill the World with Violence Rapines Oppressions and all manner of unrighteousness Gen. 6.11 And therefore God brought a Flood in which these Heavens perished For all the Principalities and Powers of that wicked and ungodly World were swept away by the Flood 2. Ecclesiasticall Heavens Churches on Earth are sometimes called Heaven the Kingdom of Heaven frequently in the Evangelists signifies the Church Rev. 12.7 There was war in Heaven That is in the Church Now the Ecclesiastical Heavens that is the Churches of that World perished by Water even all except that in the Ark. 'T is said Gen. 4.26 Then began men to call upon the Name of the Lord. There were Churches of Seth's Posterity which worshipped God But these did at last exceedingly apostatize as we see Gen. 6.2 The Sons of God saw the Daughters of Men and took them Wives of all that they chose And thereupon the Lord says My Spirit shall not always strive with Man for that he also is flesh Observe these words He also the Sons of God were spoken of immediately before this He also therefore is meant of the Church-member even he that was called the Son of God was also flesh Not onely those without but also those within the Church not onely the Posterity of Cain but also the Posterity of Seth had corrupted their way and all the imaginations of their hearts were also evil continually Now these Heavens did also perish by water because of the great wickedness found in them There was an Analogical Earth also which perished by water that is as Superiours so Inferiours as Masters so Servants as the Mighty men so the mean men as the Giants so the Dwarfs the Flood swept all away and one as easily as the other And here we may do well to observe what kind of wickednesses they were which brought the Flood there was desperate Apostasie of the Sons of God there was Pride amongst them they became men of Renown and also cruelty and oppression they filled the world with voilence The Giants in stature were Giants in wickedness The old world was an Atheistical and desperately debauched world and when God gave space and warning to repent by Noahs preaching they repented not In a word 't is to be observed that the world of the ungodly then was become wholly arbitrary every one would be sui juris and not be subject to or act by a Law The mighty men and Sovereign part of it were absolute and arbitrary They would be arbitrary in ruling others and exercised what violence they pleased and arbitrary in ruling themselves giving themselves up to the lusts of uncleanness not only taking Wives of the Daughters of men but as Gen. 6.4 also after that they went in unto the Daughters of men to others that is besides their Wives and they took of all that they chose and therein the arbitrariness of that world appeared they chose by Lust and not by Law from their own wills and not according to the will of God The People of God will have God to chuse for them Psal 47.4 He shall chuse our Inheritance for us But these would chuse for themselves This was the first transgression Adam would become arbitrary he liked not Gods choise but he himself would chuse what Fruit to eat and we may observe how displeasing this was to God Behold the man is become like one of us Gen. 3.22 to know good and evil that is as God is absolute and his Will is the rule of good or evil what he wills is good and what he nils is to be lookt on as evil So now Adam would become absolute to know good and evil and have his own Will the rule of it this highly provoked God 'T is his incommunicable Prerogative to be absolute This arbitrariness God did avenge and that speedily upon him 1. He must not eat of the Tree of life 2 He was cast out of Paradise He that would be all and absolute loses all thereby And when the old world became arbitrary a Flood came and swept all away Thus we see what world it was that perished by water In the next place let it be considered what Heavens and Earth are to perish by Fire And now I shall endeavour to make it manifest that there are as natural so analogical Heavens and Earth and Heavens both Political and Ecclesiastical Isa 34. we have a Prophecy of the Judgments wherewith God will at last avenge his Church v. 2. The Indignation of the Lord is upon all Nations and his fury upon all their Armies V. 4. All the Host of Heaven shall be dissolved and the Heavens shall be rolled together as a scrole and all their Host shall fall down and the next verse shews what Heavens are meant My Sword shall come down upon Idumea and upon the People of my curse to Judgment The Unicorns shall come down and the Bullocks for it is the Day of the Lords Vengeance and the Year of Recompenses for the Controversie of Sion So that by Heaven here are meant the Churches Antichristian Enemies who have been in Power and above and long have had the upper hand in the World This will appear also from Hag. 2.6 7. I will shake the Heavens the Earth the Sea and the dry Land This shaking is to make way for the coming of Christ That it looks beyond his first coming is evident from Heb. 12.27 where 't is spoken of as a thing then to come And why shall these Heavens and Earth be shaken 'T is for the removing of things that may be shaken as of things that are made Not things as made by God for this is no reason for their removal that they are made by God therefore by things made are meant the things made by Men. For as there are Heavens and Earth made by God so there are Heavens and Earth of Mens making and that both in a Political and Ecclesiastical sence There are many Babels of Mens building The Turkish Religion and frame was made by Men. The Pope both in his Civil and Ecclesiastical Power was made by Men. The Popish Religion and that Antichristian Form of Worship and frame of Government which Popery doth establish is of Mens making Now this shaking will be to remove things made contrary to the Mind of God And this agrees well with Peter The Earth with the works therein even all Antichristian Works shall be burnt up And with Mat. 13.14 The Angels shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them that do iniquity There are now many things which offend God and good Men but at last all will be gathered out of the Kingdom This appears also from Rev. 6.12 13. I beheld when he opened the
HEAVENS AND THE NEVV EARTH ALSO OF The Earnest Expectation of the Creature to be delivered from its Bondage into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God TOGETHER With some Hints wherein it will consist Gathered out of Holy Scriptures AS ALSO A Guess at the Time wherein it may probably be expected Together with the Profitable Uses to be made of it As in 2 Pet. 3.14 By WILLIAM ALLEINE Now with the Lord. LONDON Printed for Benjamin Harris 1679. Some Discovery OF THE NEVV HEAVENS AND THE NEVV EARTH IN the former TREATISE the passing away of the Old Heavens and Earth was handled and their perishing by Fire And now I shall adde somewhat concerning the New Heavens and the New Earth which are to succeed them as we read 2 Pet. 3.13 Nevertheless we according to his Promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth c. And certainly 't is not a state of glory in the Heaven of Heavens where Christ is and where the Spirits of just Men made perfect are which is here meant For the New Heavens of which Peter speaks are not yet in Being but are Promised we according to his Promise look for New Heavens this Promise is in Isa 65.17 Behold I create New Heavens and a New Earth these are yet to be created Isa 66.22 As the New Heavens and the New Earth which I will make shall remain before me c. I have not made them already but I will make them And the time is hinted when they shall be created Isa 65.13 my Servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry my Servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty my Servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed c. And the former troubles shall not be remembred this Promise hath not been already fulfilled for the People of God have not been yet in such an estate as to leave all their troubles behind them and to forget them but such a time shall be for saith the Lord I creat New Heavens and a New Earth A New Earth as well as New Heavens which Intimates a great change here below Neither is it the Gospel-state of the Church which was to succeed the Legal state which is all here meant for this was in Being when Peter wrote but the New Heavens and Earth were lookt for And lastly These New Heavens and New Earth must be created when the World which now is shall perish by Fire and that will be at the day of Judgment 2 Pet. 4.12.13 Thus we see what we are to rest in as meant by the New Heavens and the New Earth In the next place to shew what they are consider in the general those words of Peter 2 Pet. 3.15.16 As our beloved brother Paul hath written unto you as also in all his Epistles speaking of these things What things Doubtless the New Heavens and Earth are these things for of these Peter last spake therefore when Paul speaks of the manifestation and glorious liberty of the sons of God and the creatures earnest expectation of it Rom. 8. and also of the Saints judging the World 1 Cor. 6.2 These are the same things of which Peter speaks but most plainly the New Heavens and New Earth are spoken of in the Epistle to the Hebrews and because Peter saith Paul had written of these things this is conceived to be one of the best Arguments to prove that Paul was the Author of that Epistle now Heb. 2.5 he speakes of a World to come the same with the New Heavens and the New Earth and Heb. 12.26 27. of a Kingdom which cannot be moved and of the removing of things which may be shaken and in relation to the purifying and consuming work of that day 't is said Our God is a consuming Fire And somewhat might be gathered out of every one of Pauls Epistles touching these things except that to Philemon Thus in the general Now to come to a more particular unfolding of this Mystery we are to consider that the Heavens and Earth may be taken these three ways First in a Natural secondly a Civil thirdly in an Ecclesiastical respect 1. In a Natural respect And thus we may conceive that all things below the Heaven of Heavens which is the Throne of God and Seat of the Blessed are to be in some respect made new Indeed the Heaven of Heavens is called the high and Holy place and no change was made in it by Mans sin it is so Glorious already that we have not ground to conclude it will be made better but as for the inferiour Heavens and Heavenly Bodies in them as Sun Moon and Stars there is this to be said concerning them As they sometimes send down some malignant and hurtful Influences upon this inferiour World which may be reckoned amongst the Fruits of Adams sin so in the times of Restitution these shall cease I shall mention some places of Scripture which afford us some ground thus to conclude it Psa 11.6 there is this promise The Sun shall not smite the by day nor the Moon by Night when 't is said The Sun and Moon shall not smite this doth intimate that sometimes they do smite Men and surely 't is Sin which hath been the cause of this smitting And if this promise of their not smitting shall be made good to any in the time of the Old Heavens and Old Earth then much more shall it be made good in the times of the New Heavens and the New Earth The Sun did once beat upon the Head of Jonah that he fainted and wisht in himself to die Jonah 4.8 Certainly it shall not be thus in the times of restitution and refreshing the Sun shall revive and strengthen and not cause fainting and make Men wish to die Deut. 3.3.28 His Heaven shall drop down Dew Whilst Israel did keep Covenant with God the Heavens were his Heavens much more when all Israel shall be called and saved the Heavens shall be their Heavens the Sun Moon and Stars shall be theirs so as that their influences shall not be hurting and smiting The Stars in their courses shall not fight against them as once they did against Sisera Their Heavens shall not be as many times now they are Brass over their Heads but shall drop down Dew and the former and the latter Raine that is Rain in season shall descend and there shall not be a Sweeping Rain which shall leave no Food behind it And 't is not at all to be doubted that when the Jews shall be all effectually called and enter into their rest Joseph's Blessing shall be the Blessing of all the Tribes of Israel and that in a more ample and eminent manner than when Joseph had his Lot in Canaan Deut. 33.13 c. of Joseph he said Blessed of the Lord be his land for the precious things of Heaven for the Dew and the deep that coucheth beneath and for the precious Fruits brought forth by the Sun and for the precious things put forth by the
thing of great Use if it could be found out Thus much of the first Number 2300 dayes The second and third have an Epocha which next is to be enquired into This Epocha is the time of taking away the daily Sacrifice and setting up the Abomination that maketh desolate Dan. 12.11 12. Here our enquiry must be to know what is meant by the daily Sacrifice and when it was taken away 1 What is meant by the Daily Sacrifice Now the generality of those that look for Redemption in Israel do take the Jewish Sacrifices and Worship to be here meant which were abrogated by the coming of Christ To these Julian out of his hatred of Christianity gave countenance and he was willing to have them brought into Use again and so they conceive the Daily Sacrifice was taken away c. when Julian gave liberty to the Jews to rebuild the Temple from the doing of which they were miraculously hindred But this puts a strange sense upon the words for here 's taking away and setting up the taking away is to give oportunity for the setting up of somewhat in the room of what is taken away and therefore the taking away is first mentioned and so if we must understand the Jewish daily Sacrifice 't will be as if it had been said the Daily Sacrifice and the Jewish Worship was taken away which was a great Abomination and an Abomination that would make desolate set up and this Abomination which was to be set up was the Temple and Jewish Worship which was indeed the Daily Sacrifice And thus the sense will come to this the Jews Worship was taken away to make way for the setting up of the Jewish worship an Abomination was taken away to set in an Abomination the Daily Sacrifice was taken away to set up the Daily Sacrifice Secondly The Daily Sacrifice must be taken here in a good sense that is for the pure worship of God spiritual evangelical worship set forth under a Legal Name and thus the sense will run clear pure Religion and Worship in the free and publick exercise of it was that which the Enemies of it would prevail to take away and set up an Abomination a false Religion corrupt and impure Worship in the room of it which would bring great desolation upon the true Church and such as would worship in spirit and truth and would be a very great desolating thing to true Religion and by this means the World would come to be filled with abominable Doctrines with abominable Idolatries with abominable Will-worship and Superstition Now for the farther clearing of this that the Daily Sacrifice is to be taken in a good sense and not in an evil sense let 's consider a little a parallel place before mentioned Dan. 8.11 12 13. He magnified himself to the Prince of the Host and by him the Daily Sacrifice was taken away and the place of his Sanctuary was cast down I have proved before that this was to be done in Gospel-times by what was said concerning the little Horn Now most evident it is that in this place the daily Sacrifice is to be taken in a good sense for it is joyned with the Truth an Host was given him against the daily Sacrifice and it cast down the Truth to the ground The Truth and the daily Sacrifice suffer together and then 't is asked How long shall be the Vision concerning the daily Sacrifice to give the Sanctuary and Host to be trodden under foot and he said unto 2300 days then the Sanctuary shall be cleansed and the daily Sacrifice restored Now the daily Sacrifice being taken in a good sense in this place why should it not be so in the other both speak of Gospel-times and both mention it as a great calamity to the Church to have it taken away and doubtless it must be taken in the same sense in both places there is onely this difference that taking away in the Eighth Chapter is meant of the great Calamity which shall come upon the Jews after their First Call and that in the Twelfth Chapter of a desolation to come upon the Churches of the Gentile Saints And thus we are quite beaten off from making that mentioned concerning Julian our Epocha there where we find pure Religion and the true Worship of God to be eminently cast off by the generality of men professing Christianity and in the room of it a false Religion and Worship set up so that true Religion in comparison with its former state becomes a desolate thing maintained and owned but by a few This is to bring us to a right understanding of the daily sacrifice and the Abomination set up that so we may stand upon a sure foundation in our Inquiry And so I come to the next thing which is 2. When the daily Sacrifice was taken away And here I shall consider first what we find foretold in the New Testament concerning this which may be a help to us in this Inquiry and secondly what we find in Ecclesiastical History of the fulfilling of things foretold in the Scripture Now for the former of these let two places of Scripture be considered The first is Rev. 11.2 The court which is without measure it not for it is given to the Gentiles and the holy City shall they Tread under Foot That which I would here take notice of for our present purpose is the Name given to those to whom the outward Court is given which is Gentiles Now these are called Gentiles in opposition to those that are called Jews that is such who were Jews inwardly as Paul saith 'T is observable in the same Book of the Rev. the true Worshippers are called Jews Rev. 29. and 3.9 I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but the synagogue of Satan and doe lye This Intimates that some were Jews and did not blaspheme in calling themselves so others were Heathens who yet would have been called Jews So the Gentiles there spoken of are Jews turn'd Gentiles and Christians turned Heathens yet such as would keep up a Name for being Jews and Christians which argues a great Apostacy Now observe this when such an Apostacy did eminently appear and Men proffessing Christanity did turn Heathens and took up the way of the Heathens in many things in their worship then the daily Sacrifice began to be taken away and the Abomination that made desolate was set up these Gentiles 't is said Tread down the Holy City and that is the head of the 42 Moneths and 1260 dayes But before these Gentiles get into such power and grow so numerous they must have a time to become Gentiles and we may well conceive there may be a considerable space of time betwixt their first becoming Gentiles and there getting into such power as to be able to carry it in the outward Court against the true Worshippers the Jews inwardly and to tread down the Holy City So then the time of the Jews turning
I would not be thought to be positive in all things but as propounding some things to the Prophets that they may judge If any thing of Error shall appear yet I presume not that which will be destructive to the Faith once delivered to the Saints in any part of it For Matter of Faith and Worship and what concerns Gopel-Ordinances and Magistracy and Ministry are throughout asserted and justified That good thing which God hath said he will perform held forth in this Prophecy and the Revelation of Christ's Personal Presence and Reign upon Earth was not a little disparaged by the Carnal Imaginations and Conceits of some about it which were no other than the Smoak of the bottomless Pit which arising thence did darken the Glory of a very precious Primitive Truth and exposed it to that Contempt under which it hath long lien buried But what was by the subtilty of the Old Serpent sown in dishonour begins now to be raised in glory I shall add no more by way of Preface but those Two Petitions of the Lord's Prayer Thy Kingdom come and thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Thy Kingdom is come and is within and among thy Disciples let it come and be over all Now one of a City two of a Family are brought to Sion and make a little Flock Let the time come when all the ends of the Earth shall turn to the Lord and all the Kindreds of the Nations shall worship before him Now thou dost Govern among the Saints be thou Governour also among the Nations And thy Will is done by some few Calebs and Josuahs that follow thee fully yet the Best are far short of doing thy Will as 't is done in Heaven 'T is done by some few on Earth in the sincerity and uprightness of Heaven let it be done in the exactness of Heaven Thus shall it be done when the King of Glory shall come from Heaven and all the Saints with him EVEN SO COME LORD JESUS AMEN The Mystery of the Nine last Chapters of Ezekiel in part made manifest IN these last Chapters of this Prophecy of Ezekiel we have a description of a Temple and City which in the Visions of God were represented to the Prophet by which we are not to understand a material Temple or City built after the return of the Jews from Babylonish Captivity For 1. The Temple and City here described are far different from the City Jerusalem and the Temple there both for situation and largeness The Temple in the description of it is as large as a City and the City as large as a Country For the Temple with the Courts thereof being a perfect Square each side contained five hundred Reeds Chap. 42.16 and the circumference of the City is said to be eighteen thousand Measures which is judged by Interpreters to be a vast circuit 2. A River is said to issue from under the Threshould of the House Chap. 47.1 which is not any where affirmed of the Temple at Jerusalem 3. This evidently appears from Chap. 41.12 where there is mention made of a separate place and a Building before it which is distinct from the Temple before described for the Building in the separate place is not so large as the Temple the breadth thereof being seventy Cubits and the length ninety Cubits so that this Building with the separate place is but equal with the Temple that is an hundred Cubits each way And farther this Building cannot be the Holy of Holies for the Dimensions are different the Holy of Holies is but twenty Cubits long and twenty Cubits broad verse 4. Now we do not read of such a Building and separate place near the Temple of Jerusalem 't is true 1 Kings 6.27 mention is made of an inner house which was the Holy of Holies joyning to the Temple and was not in a separate place from it 4. This Temple and City shall not have being on Earth till the twelve Tribes shall be brought back from their Captivity for they that serve the City serve it out of all the Tribes of Israel chap. 48.19 and the Land is to be divided by lot unto the Tribes of Israel verse 29. which are all named and the Gates of the City have also the Names of all the Tribes upon them These reasons make it evident that somewhat else must be meant Now as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 1.4 5. Ye are built up a spiritual house and Gal. 4. ◠Paul speaks of a Jerusalem which is above and John of that Jerusalem which cometh down from God out of Heaven So this is here understood and the Temple is the Church of the living God made of lively stones and the Church in that pure and glorious state which it shall be brought into when Antichrist shall be destroyed and those things which may be shaken being the things made by men shall be removed The Temple and City of Jerusalem were Types hereof And this glorious Church will be the substance of those shadows and is set forth by their names And what is here foretold had the beginning of its accomplishment in the gospel-Gospel-Church gathered by the Apostles and since continued in the world and shall have its perfect accomplishment when the new Jerusalem shall come down out of Heaven and the Jews shall be called and the Fulness of the Gentiles shall come in So that we may conclude with Rabbi Solomon quoted by Cornelius à Lapide Omnia quae in Ezekiele de Jerusalem scribuntur de sancta civitate supernâ Jerusalem absque dubio intelligenda sunt All is to be understood of the Heavenly Jerusalem but chiefly of this Heavenly Jerusalem as it shall come down out of Heaven and of that estate which it shall be then in Now that somewhat of the Mystery of this Prophecy may be made known I shall propose several things to consideration not proceeding therein according to the order of the Prophecy but shall endeavour to bring the main things of it to several heads And truly I may say to the praise of him that teacheth Man knowledge that by running thus to and fro in this Prophecy Knowledge hath increased and haply some hints may be given which may provoke others to search further into it The first thing to be laid down shall be for an Introduction to the rest which are to follow which is this Prop. 1. What is here represented should with all seriousness and diligence be lookt into and considered chap. 40.4 Son of man behold with thine eyes and hear with thine ears and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel This Command so vehemently urged in so many expressions belongs to all Christians but especially to the Ministers of the Gospel The external and internal Senses are called upon and stirred up to attend to what is made known to the Prophet in this Vision and to take an exact view of it and
surely it may be expected that upon diligent search accompanied with prayer much may be understood of this so dark a Prophecy 'T is again prest chap. 44.5 Mark well and behold with thine eyes and hear all that I say unto thee See and set thine heart as in the former place it is commanded behold with thine eyes the Frame and set thine heart to know the signification of it behold with thine eyes the shadow and set thine heart upon the substance and if the heart be set upon these things it shall be given to know the Mystery of them This Prophecy then should not be lookt on as unprofitable or that which cannot be understood Surely if all Scripture be profitable then this also and if all things were written for our learning then these things likewise how dark soever they may seem to be Luke 2.20 Christ read out of Isaiah the Prophet and then closed the Book and expounded the place to the Hearers saying This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears And in this the Ministers of the Gospel should be like Christ they should read and give the meaning of Scripture But as to this Prophecy what do the most when they have read it but close the Book and lay it aside and are like those reproved by Christ Isa 29.11 The vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed which men delivered unto one that is learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I cannot for it is sealed and the book is delivered to one that is not learned saying Read this and he saith I cannot for I am not learned The Preachers excuse is the book is sealed the Peoples we are not learned but God hath not sealed it therefore let not men seal it either to themselves or others God saith Behold with thine eyes and set thine heart to all that I shew thee Let not any then shut their eyes nor turn away their hearts from these so admirable and glorious Discoveries For as God hath not said to the Seed of Jacob Seek ye me in vain so he doth not here say See in vain Prop. 2. What is in this Prophecy given forth as a Precept and as shewing what ought to be is to be taken under the notion of a Promise and as declaring what shall be in the glorious state of the Church here set forth as chap. 45.9 O Princes of Israel remove violence Now as Princes at all times ought so then the Princes of Israel shall remove violence according to that promise Isa 60.18 Violence shall be no more heard in the land Chap. 44.24 The Priests shall judge according to my judgments Though 't is their duty yet it hath not been always their practice but in the estate of the Church here foretold it shall be as their duty so their constant practice Plato gave an Idea of a Commonwealth not such as ever was in the world but such as ought to be now here we have an Idea of a Church and Commonwealth not onely which ought to be but also which shall be Prop. 3. In this Prophecy one and the same Church is set forth by these two representations of a Temple and City by the Temple is set forth a pure and glorious Church constituted according to the mind of God wherein he shall be purely worshipped In it shall be the true Worshippers who shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth The Father seeketh such to worship him and here they shall be found By City is meant the same Church as a spiritual and heavenly Commonwealth As the same people of Israel were a Church and Commonwealth so as that all that were of the Church were also of the Commonwealth of Israel and all of the Common-wealth were of the Church so will it be in this time and State here foretold In this Temple Christ is the High Priest and Priest upon a Throne ministring for men in things pertaining to God In this City he is a King in the Temple he is Head of Saints as a Church leading them in and out and being in the midst of them chap. 46.10 giveth counsel life grace strength and acceptance to all As the Heart is in the midst of the body the Fountain of Life as the Sun is in the midst of the Planets giving light to all so is Christ in the Church And in the City he is Head of the same Saints as a Commonwealth Prop. 4. The Church which is here set forth as a Temple and City is that glorious Church which shall be after the calling of the Jews even that Church whose Windows shall be of Agates and Gates of Carbuncles and all her borders of pleasant stones And as this is meant of the Church of the Jews when they shall be called so therefore it is described by a Temple like the Temple at Jerusalem and by Jewish Rites and Figures The Substance is given forth under the names of the Shadows and the Holy Spirit speaking of things which shall concern the Jews speaks to them in the Jews Language That the Church of the Jews when they shall be called is here meant appears because the Names of the Tribes of Israel are mentioned as having Portions in the Land and Gates in the City and the Strangers that is the Fulness of the Gentiles who shall be brought in shall have an Inheritance with them Prop. 5. There is an Outer and an Inner Temple mentioned in this Description the outer Temple with its Courts and Gates and the Chambers of the Courts and Gates are described chap. 40. and 41. and the building of the separate place chap. 41.13 which is there called the Inner House and Inner Temple verse 15. and 17. In this Inner Temple are North and South Chambers even many Mansions Here are Priests which approach to the Lord and eat the most holy things Without in the Outer Temple are Ordinances which are holy things but in the Inner Temple the most holy things are eaten that is Christ himself in a Beatifical Vision of him Here is also a City described with its Gates and without that Portions for the Tribes of Israel each Tribe having a Portion in the Land and a Gate in the City Now what doth this signifie but that there will be a Church 1. In the City New Jerusalem and in the Inner Temple that is the Church Triumphant consisting of Saints come up to the measure of the stature of the Fulness of Christ of Saints I say both raised and coming with Christ and also of those which shall be then changed 2. It shews that there will be Churches also without the City consisting of Saints which shall have Portions in the Land and Churches of the Outer Temple and Saints in the Chambers of the Courts and Gates as well as in the Inner Temple Those in the chambers of the Courts and Gates and Outer Temple shall have the Perfection there required and that measure
Matthew is called the Fathers Kingdom Mark 14.25 and Luke 22.18 is the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of God in the Gospel most usually is taken for Christs Kingdom Luke 11.21 The Kingdom of God is within you or among you which must be understood of Christs Kingdom It is to be observed also that what is called the Fathers Kingdom in Matthew is called Christs Kingdom Luke 22.30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom 2. Christs Kingdom is included in the Fathers in that Petition Thy Kingdom come The Prayer is made to the Father Thy Kingdom c. Now in this Petition the coming of Christs Kingdom is first desired and after the Fathers when Christ shall have finished the work given him to do as Mediator Consid 6. This House with the whole Limit thereof and every thing belonging to it shall be most holy Chap. 43.12 This is the Law of the House upon the top of the Mountain the whole Limit thereof round about shall be most holy And 't is added to shew the certainty of it This is the Law of the House Q. But how a Law A. The Law of this House shall not onely be a Law shewing what ought to be For thus 't is a Law now and at all times that all things in the Church should be holy 1 Cor. 3.17 The Temple of the Lord is holy That is ought to be so But also a Law shewing what shall be There is a Law commanding and a Law causing that to be which is commanded like the Law of the Creation Let there be Light and there was Light So God will say Let this House be holy and it shall be so There is the Law in the Word and the Law in the Heart and in relation to this time especially God promises I will put my Laws in their inward parts and write them in their hearts c. The Law in the Scriptures requires obedience the Law in the Heart inclines to it and makes it natural and pleasant Paul said of Timothy I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state So when the Law is in the Heart it will make Men to care naturally for the things of God I mean with respect to the Divine Nature which Saints partake of Rom. 8.2 Mention is made of the Law of the Spirit Now such will be the Law of this House The Law of the Spirit which is mighty in Christ Jesus shall make the whole Limit of this House holy Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them And here let this farther be taken notice of and it will be a very comfortable consideration Not onely the Temple and Altar and those that worship therein are to be measured but also the Courts both inner and outer and the Gates and Chambers thereof all are to be measured and made according to their Pattern and so most holy Now compare with this Rev. 11.1 2. Where the Temple and Altar and those that worship therein are to be measured But the Court without was not to be measured because it was to be given to the Gentiles c. This sets forth the time of Antichrist's Reign who was to possess the outer Court But when the Gentiles thus tread down the Court which is without there is still a Temple and Altar and there are those that worship therein even a true Church holding Christ the Head and holding forth the truth as it is in Jesus and such who worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth And in this time the holy City must be troden down fourty and two Moneths Jerusalem in the Letter was trodden down of the Romans and Mystical Jerusalem hath been trodden down also As that by the Power of Rome when Heathenish so this by the Power of Rome Antichristian but Heathenish still Papists being but Heathens to the true Israel of God This Court trodden down of the Gentiles is cast out and not measured being cut off and separated from the Temple that is the true Church of God by the Reed of the Word as not belonging to the same Thus in John's Vision the outward Court is not measured but Heathens possess it But Ezekiel in his Vision sees the outward Court also measured with the Gates Thresholds Posts and Chambers thereof and all most holy What may be concluded hence but that 1. The State of the Church as it shall be after the Destruction of Antichrist is here set forth when the fourty and two Moneths shall be ended the Witnesses raised and the Jews called for so long as Antichrist remains he possesses the outward Court and it is not measured But being measured as we see in Ezekiel's Vision the Gentiles will be then cast out and Christ will tread in his anger and trample in his fury those who did tread down the Holy City And this measuring of the outward Court shews that the times of the Gentiles will be then fulfilled and the Jews inwardly and in the Spirit even a true Church shall be in the outward Court 2. Churches at this time will be pure yea most holy even the Churches of the outward Court for all will be measured The Wall on the outside of the House chap. 40.5 the Stairs the Gates the Thresholds and every little Chamber v. 6 7. all agree with their Pattern and so there will not be any Antichristian Church left but all will be holy yea most holy How will this be Churches will be as true so pure and in a degree of purity above what they have been at any time yet in the World The Church of the Jews in the Wilderness was holy the measured Churches which have been in the time of Antichrist's Reign have been holy And the Primitive Church gathered by the Apostles was more holy than any before or since But that Glorious Church which shall be after the Calling of the Jews being compared with the former shall be the most holy of all As Christ said of Iohn Baptist A greater than he hath not risen notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he So there hath not been a more Glorious Church in the World than the Primitive was but the least in the time here meant will be greater than that The least of Churches in the time of the New Heavens and New Earth will be greater and more glorious than the best in the times of the Old Heavens and the Old Earth And why may we not conceive that God is pleased to make use of the Names of the Types and Figures in setting forth this Glorious Church to declare that this Spiritual House will be framed as exactly according to an Heavenly Pattern as the typical House was and that true holiness will be as perfect and exact in this as typical was in that We know that Moses his Work was according to the Pattern
coming down of the New Jerusalem will be this lesser Settle Now we finding this Altar with its greater Settle upon its lesser Settle the Church which shall be at last in the World what doth this hint but a personal presence of Christ as God-Man in it 3. This will be a cleansed Altar Chapter 43.20 Thou shalt take of the Blood thereof and put it upon the Four Horns thereof and on the Four Corners of the Settle and upon the Border round about thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it This Altar is always pure in it self but as the Holy Name of God is said to be defiled so also hath the Altar of God been defiled by Whoredoms Idolatry and false Worship and by the approaches of such who have not washt their hands in Innocency Now the cleansing of this Altar notes the doing away of all such defiling Abominations No abominable person no abominable thing shall come nigh this Altar Both Worship and Worshippers shall be Holiness unto the Lord verse 26. Seven days shall they purge the Altar and purifie it and they shall consecrate themselves Let the particulars be observed First the Blood is to be put upon the Four Horns of the Altar What do these signifie but the Power of the Godhead And reconciling Blood upon the Horns of the Altar shews that the Power of the Godhead shall save and not destroy those that come to it Divine Power will be reconciled to them And here 't is a happy and blessed thing when Blood toucheth Blood That is when the Worshippers come with the Blood of Sprinkling upon them to the Blood of Sprinkling upon the Horns of the Altar and so take hold of them Joab took hold of the Horns of the Altar but coming with the guilt of Innocent Blood upon him and not with that which purgeth away Sin he was taken thence and slain But at the time which this Prophecy relates to it shall not be so None but purged ones shall come and none of these shall be taken thence Because the Blood of Christs Manhood will engage the Power of the Godhead to save all the Sanctified Ones that shall come to this Altar and shall protect support and perfect that which doth concern them 2. The Blood is to be put upon the Settle of the Altar which we are to understand of the lesser Settle even that Glorious Church of the Jews when they shall be called which shall be a cleansed and purged Settle having that Blood upon it which speaks better things than that of Abel And it shall be a Settle purged throughout for the Blood is to be put upon the four corners of it 3. The Blood is to be put upon the Border round about What is meant by the Border of the Altar The pure Worshippers that shall come to this Altar may be conceived to be its Border round about Psalm 26.6 I will wash my hands in Innocency so will I compass thine Altar O Lord. Those that come to and compass this Altar are its Border round about And Blood shall be upon this Border so that all shall be cleansed and purged ones that come to this Altar And therefore as the House of Israel shall no more defile the Holy Name of God so not the Holy Altar of God by any Abominations Thus much concerning the Altar 2. As there will be an Altar to Sanctifie so all the Sacrifices shall have the Salt of the Covenant cast upon them Chap. 4.24 Thou shalt offer them before the Lord and the Priest shall cast Salt upon them This is borrowed from Lev. 2.13 Every Oblation of a Meat-Offering shall be seasoned with Salt neither shalt thou suffer the Salt of the Covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy Meat-Offering Saints and their Services are a Meat-Offering but the Salt of the Covenant must not be lacking Salt makes savoury and preserves from putrefaction An Unregenerate state is set forth by not being salted Ezek. 16.4 So to be salted is to be Regenerated and made New Creatures Col. 4.6 Let your speech be with Grace seasoned with Salt Not corrupt Communication but salted and seasoned with Grace And as there is the Unleavened Bread of Sincerity so there is the Salt of Sincerity 'T is not any Salt that will do Not the Salt of Morality and common Gifts But it must be the Salt of the Covenant that is a true Faith and apprehending Christ for Righteousness and Sanctification so as to receive of his Fulness Grace for Grace And those that have this Salt of the Covenant are under a Covenant of Salt For we read of both The Salt of the Covenant is mentioned Lev. 2.13 and a Covenant of Salt Numb 18.19 2 Chron. 13.5 Now a Covenant of Salt is an inviolable and perpetual Covenant Those that have the Salt of the Covenant are under an everlasting Covenant that shall never be broken And in relation to the state of the Church here meant it hints thus much that the Church shall remain in that pure holy peaceable and prosperous estate which then it shall be brought into of which the Prophets have spoken so much Babylons glory because raised by and accompanied with so great Abominations shall be as when God overthrew Sodom God will stain the pride of all glory Men do first stain their glory with Pride Injustice Prophaneness c. and because Men stain it with sin God will stain it with judgments The Honourable ones of the great City Babylon shall be brought into contempt and the Despised ones of Sion shall be made a praise in the Earth Thus much of the first particular that all the Sacrifices shall be holy 2. All Duties shall be performed by Saints and all Graces shall meet in them and their good Works shall have all their requisites to make them perfect Saints then shall be upon better ground than the young man had able to say what he did All these have I kept from my youth up and they shall have respect to all Gods commands and yet having done all will say as Christ enjoyns We are unprofitable servants and as Paul I am not hereby justified They shall have the Lord for their God and none other besides him Zech. 13.9 and no Graven Image shall be among them There shall be no prophaning of the Name of God chap. 43.7 no drawing nigh to God with the mouth when the heart is removed far from him The Sabbath will be purely observed and for second Table Duties see chap. 45.10 Ye shall have just Balances a just Ephah and a just Bath There shall be justice in dealings and none shall go beyond or defraud his Brother in any matter but that Rule of Christ will take place Whatever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them I shall instance in two Duties and a little insist on them 1. Prayer Mal. 1.11 In every place incense shall be offered with a pure offering Prayer shall be as Incense and
and and Government This Kingdom will come with observation For as the Lightning shineth from one part under Heaven to the other so shall the Son of Man be in his day Then Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets shall be seen in the Kingdom of God and they shall come from the East and the West and North and South and shall sit down with them in that Kingdom Matth. 13.28 29. which hints a Kingdom on Earth for the East West North and South-parts of the Earth are not so called in relation to Heaven but with reference to some place on Earth For the farther clearing of this we may observe That there are in the Government two eminent prefigurations of this Kingdom The first is Christ's riding in triumph into Jerusalem Matth. 21.8 The Multitude spread their Garments and cut down Branches from the Trees and cried Hosanna to the Son of David blessed be he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Mark 11.10 Blessed be the Kingdom of our Father David that comes in the Name of the Lord It came then in a small degree of it And when Christ shall come in his Kingdom at last then the Jews shall see him and say as the Multitudes did then Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord Matth. 23.39 And that which Christ did then seems to foretell two things which he shall do at his coming 1. He shall purge his Temple When he rode into Jerusalem he went to the Temple of God and cast out those that bought and sold in it Christ will throughly purge his Temple when he comes and make it the House of Prayer The Church shall be a Mountain of Holiness and that new World the Habitation of Justice 2. Christ will heal Infirmities v. 14. The Blind and the Lame came to him in the Temple and he healed them At his first coming he healed all manner of bodily Infirmities At his next he will heal not only bodily but spiritual Infirmities more eminently than at his first coming The second prefiguration of Christ's coming was his transfiguration of which we read Mat. 17.2 Christ said Chap. 16.28 There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom And we may observe to whom Christ spake this It was to his Disciples v. 24. Jesus said to his Disciples and so continues his Speech to them till he spake these words Now although Mark saith that he called the People to him with his Disciples yet he directs his Speech to the Disciples especially and therefore we may conceive that when he said there be some standing here c. he means some of his Disciples and not all of them and then it follows After six days Jesus taketh with him Peter and James and John So they were the same here meant And his transfiguration before them was a type of his coming in his Kingdom This sense hath a great confirmation from 2 Pet. 1.16 17. We have not followed cunningly devised Fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of Christ but were Eye-witnesses of his Majesty As if he had said the power and coming of Christ was that which was shewn us for when we saw him on the Holy mount with his Face shining and his Rayment glistering we saw his power and coming and the glory in which he shall appear This is meant of his second coming of which we read Chap. 3. where he speaks of the Scoffers that should ask where is the promise of his coming Many look upon this glorious truth of Christ's coming to reign upon Earth as a cunningly devised Fable but saith Peter it is not so for that which we have seen with our Eyes declare we unto you How and when did they see it When they were with him in the Holy Mount and saw him transfigured before them Then they saw it in a Praeludium of it So when Peter spake of the power and coming of Christ and of the new Heavens and new Earth 't was that which he was an Eye-witness of at his transfiguration Hence three things may be concluded 1. When Christ shall come he shall come in his Kingdom 2. The raised and changed Saints shall then appear with him in glory of which the appearing of Moses and Elias was a type 3. When Christ shall come in glory and the raised and changed Saints shall appear with him in glory then there shall be other Saints in an inferiour state who may sometimes see Christ and the glorified Saints and have some converse with them Thus was it when Peter and James and John saw as Christ so Moses and Elias and why may it not be thus after the coming of Christ We may the better conceive it seeing those Saints which shall be in an inferiour state to the glorified ones will be much better capacitated for converse with them than Peter and James and John were at that time Arg. 6. The last argument shall be taken from Rev. 20. where Satans binding Christs reign and the resurrection of the dead Saints to reign with Christ and all for one thousand years are plainly declared Take the particulars in their order 1. The binding of Satan for one thousand years Concerning which observe First the description of him that shall be bound who is set forth under several names He is called the Dragon to set forth his cruelty being full of rage and wrath and the old Serpent to note his subtilty and cunning craftiness to deceive then the Devil a caluminator the accuser of the Brethren and lastly Satan the adversary the great Enemy of God and godliness of Christ and Christianity the hater of all men but especially of the houshold of faith 1 Pet. 5.8 Your adversary the Devil Now from this variety of Names we may conclude that this binding will not be partial and in some respects onely as they say who hold that he was bound at Christs Passion or at Constantines time but total and absolute from deceiving or doing mischief in any kind whatsoever He shall be bound as a Dragon and not be able to devour persecute cast into Prison or to cast a flood out of his mouth to swallow up the Saints He shall be bound as a Serpent and not tempt or beguile As a Devil he shall not accuse the Brethren and as Satan for though he shall continue an adversary yet he shall not be an adversary going up and down as a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour In a word he shall be bound up as God of this world and Prince of the power of the Air and as a spirit working in the Children of disobedience This total binding will appear by considering Secondly the manner of his binding and the restraint which will be put upon him He shall be bound and cast into the bottomless pit and a Seal set upon him his Prison will be made sure he shall not break Prison
Woman of Samaria did the Samaritans Come see the man which told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ But they may then teach as Aquila and Priscilla did Apollo who instructed him in the way of God more perfectly This second Calling appears Zach. 13.9 Two parts shall be cut off and dye and I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine and try them I will say it is my People they shall say the Lord is my God And we may conceive that this second Calling will be by means of the personal appearing of Christ Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and mourn Rev. 1.7 Every eye shall see him they also which pierced him Not only Judah which pierced Christ but also the ten Tribes Thus as Paul was converted by seeing Christ so shall the Jews And after this Joseph and Judah shall become one and one King shall be to them all And then every Tribe shall be in its portion in the Land and the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and all Saints coming with Christ shall stand in their Lot in the City 2. The Restitution of all things We read of a twofold Restitution of all things The first by Elias the second by Christ 1. By Elias Mat. 17.12 Elias shall first come and restore all things but I say Elias is come already The occasion of what was spoken of Elias was Christ's transfiguration which did prefigure his coming in glory And the Disciples from hence seem to conclude that Christ should then reign in glory But this lay in the way the Scribes say that Elias must first come To which Christ gives an answer in which two things are to be considered First Elias shall come and restore all things Here 's a plain assertion Elias shall come Which was spoken after John Baptist was come and gone And then this was a truth Elias shall come Secondly Christ answers Elias is come already So both are true Elias is come and Elias shall come As there is then a twofold coming of Christ so a twofold coming of Elias for an Elias is a forerunner of Christ at both his comings The first coming of Elias was foretold Isa 40.3 The voice of one crying in the Wilderness Mat. 3.1.3 this was fulfilled in John Baptist This is he that was spoken of by Isaias the Prophet And Mat. 17.12 Christ said that John was the Elias which was to precede his first coming The second coming of Elias is foretold Mal. 3.1 Behold I send my Messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple c. Mal. 4.1 The day cometh that shall burn as an Oven v. 5. Behold I send you Elijah the Prophet Though these Prophecies had some degree of accomplishment in John Baptist yet certainly the full accomplishment is yet to come For an Elias shall be 〈◊〉 before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Now this dreadful day must certainly be chiefly meant of the day of his second coming For first all here foretold cannot be said to be fulfilled at his first coming For did this day burn as an Oven so that all the proud and such as did wickedly were burnt up and had not root or branch left them This threat had not its accomplishment at the destruction of Jerusalem for this happened several years after the first coming of Christ 't is promised that at that time those that fear the name of God should go forth that is out of their bondage and afflicted state and should tread down the wicked so as that they shall be as ashes under the soles of their feet But no such thing was done then the Saints did not tread down the wicked Jerusalem was trodden down by the Romans This Prediction doth well agree with other Prophecies of the great destruction of Christ's and the Churches Enemies and very much with Peter's Prophecy of the world's perishing by fire The time of Christ's first coming is called The acceptable year of the Lord and of proclaiming liberty to sinners to get forth from their spiritual Captivity So 't is expounded by Christ This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Luk. 4.21 Now how can that so sweet a day spoken of by Esaias be the dreadful day spoken of by Malachi In this dreadful day the Sons of Levi shall be purified and the Offerings of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasant as in the days of old This was not fulfilled at Christ's first coming for then the Sons of Levi were the great Enemies of Christ and had the chief hand in crucifying him And then Judah and Jerusalem killed the Prince of Life so far were their Offerings from being pleasant as in the days of old By this it appears that an Elias is yet to come who shall restore all things and that to the Church in general and to the Jews in particular First To the Church in general The Apostles first preached the Gospel and were Witnesses to Christ they laid the Foundation which is Crist and built upon that Foundation Gold Silver and precious Stones Their Doctrine was pure and the Truths they preached very precious They laid no Commands upon the Disciples but what they received from the Lord They planted and watered and God gave an Increase Doctrine was found and saving Discipline was good Ordinances were rightly administred and they were the true Worshippers who worshipped the Father in Spirit and in Truth They had the guidance of an infallible Spirit in what they did as Apostles and Ministers of Christ But false Teachers quickly arose the Evil One sowed Tares the Mystery of Iniquity began to work and there were those who did build Wood Hay and Stubble Damnable Heresies were brought in and at last the Man of Sin was revealed with whom came in Idolatry Superstition and all kind of Abominations But in the time of this departure from the Faith Christ hath his faithful Witnesses bearing a testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus They prophesie when the Beast reigns but in Sackcloth and at last the Beast slays them But after three days and half the Spirit of Life enters into them and they stand upon their Feet and as they were sown in weakness so shall they be raised in power and be the Angel flying in the midst of Heaven with the everlasting Gospel Now these raised Witnesses and this revived Ministry will come in the spirit and power of Elias And by the spirit of Christ's Mouth will the Man of Sin now be consuming And as Elijah did by Fire from Heaven convince the People that the Lord was God and Baal was no God and by this occasioned the destruction of the Priests of Baal Even so shall the Elias which is to come preach the everlasting Gospel and by him Apostolical Doctrine Ordinances and Discipline shall be restored And this Day shall declare Men's Works
suddenly come and Babylon's hopes and Sion's fears shall not come to pass This Flood shall not cannot carry away the Woman but must be swallowed up in the Earth the Woman must have help and we see that rather than want it the Earth that hates shall help the Woman And that God which rides upon the Heaven in his People's help and in his Excellency on the Sky shall ride also upon the Earth for their help And what comfort is this for the threatned Woman that both Heaven and Earth will be against the design of this Flood and shall utterly make it void God hath said it and it must be done For verily till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from this and other Prophecies which the Lord requires his People to give heed to till all be fulfilled 3. The last sign is the Dragon 's making War with the Remnant of the Woman's Seed Rev. 12.17 Which keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ For this consider 1. The Woman is the Church of God in this European part of the World where the Beast hath his Seat and where he hath great Authority The Church in the Wilderness persecuted by the Dragon but protected and nourished there 2. The remnant of the Woman's Seed are some who were the Seed of that Church which the Dragon would carry away with the Flood having been begotten in it by the Word of Truth but when the Dragon makes this War with them they are removed from it into some other part of the World which appears by this 't is said the Dragon went to make war with this remnant in the Greek 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abiit he went away He goes away from the Woman which must be the Protestant Churches which the Serpent would carry away with a Flood to make this War therefore this remnant must be elsewhere So he leaves his Work for afflicting this Woman to his invisible and visible Angels and goes away to afflict this remnant So that after the War against the Witnesses and besides the casting the Flood out of his mouth to carry away the Woman he makes War with this Remnant 3. This Remnant is known by these two Characters 1. They keep the Commandments of God and worship him according to his own Institutions 2. They have the Testimony of Jesus Christ They hold it yea and must maintain it and keep it up notwithstanding the War made against them Now when it shall be seen that the Dragon is gone to make War against such a Remnant of the Womans Seed this will be a great sign of a Day of Redemption from Antichristian Tyranny drawing nigh For the next thing which we read of concerning the followers of the Lamb is that the 144000 of the suffering and sealed Saints get out of the Wilderness and stand with the Lamb on Mount Sion Rev. 14.1 and then it follows v. 6. I saw another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven with the everlasting Gospel to preach it to those that dwell upon the Earth Where observe that as the Earth did help the Woman so for a reward the everlasting Gospel shall be preached to those that dwell upon the Earth And then v. 8. we read Another Angel followed saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City because she made all Nations drink of the Wine of the wrath of her Fornication Now as for this Remnant this one thing may be observed That whoever and wheresoever they shall appear to be thus much may with much certainty and comfort be concluded that as the Lord takes such care of the Woman that she shall not be carried away of the Flood so he will have the like care of this Remnant that they shall not be destroyed by this War of the Dragon For this is all that is said he went away to make War with them 'T is not said he shall overcome and destroy them whereas when the War against the Witnesses is foretold 't is said the Beast shall make War against them and overcome them and kill them and we may well suppose that if God had intended the like effect of this War it would have been foretold also but their comfort will be this the Dragon shall make War with them and afflict them for a time which will work for their good he shall not overcome and destroy them But when the Lord shall have chastised and humbled them and done his whole work upon them by the Spirit of Judgment and Burning he will then deliver them and create upon Mount Sion and her Assemblies a Cloud and Smoak by Day and the shining of a flaming Fire by Night for upon all the Glory shall be a defence 6. Some Advantages by the Knowledge of these Truths If any shall ask as Paul in another case What advantage hath the Jew So what advantage hath he that knows these Mysteries What profit is there by speaking or writing of them I may answer much every way For 1. The knowledge of them may have a great Influence upon the Saints to make them better Saints and to promote Holiness and Godliness among them This is the use which Peter makes of this Doctrine 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness v. 14. Seeing ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless What things The New Heavens and the New Earth wherein Righteousness shall dwell This World will pass away and a better will come What should you do then but pray that you may be accounted worthy of that World and the Resurrection from the Dead even of a part in the First Resurrection and may stand before the Son of Man God hath left us these Truths amongst his Oracles and the Oracles of God are to be reckoned amongst the chief advantages which now the Saints have Doth the Scripture speak in vain saith James Chap. 4. v. 5. Why but if these truths which the Scripture speaks so abundantly of are not to be read studied and searcht into then it must be said that the Scripture speaks much in vain Surely the Scriptures do not contain any superfluities of truths and if such as preach the Gospel would be able to say as Paul I have not shunned to declare the whole Counsel of God then they should study and preach these things 2. The knowledge of these truths will be Meat to the People inhabiting the Wilderness if mixt with Faith in the heart They are some of the hidden Manna and Honey out of the Rock and a Well in the Valley of Baca. Psa 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the Goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living David being once amongst the Idolatrous Philistims was then in the Land of the Dead even among such who were dead in sins
Moon and for the chief things of the ancient Mountains and for the precious things of the lasting Hills and for the precious things of the Earth and the fulness thereof and for the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush Josephs Blessing did then consist in precious things and that which made all these precious things more exceeding precious was the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush and when Joseph shall be called and United to Judah under one King then shall he have the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush and a Blessing of precious things added thereto Certainly we may well conclude that as the Tribes of Israel had these their Blessings in some Degree when Canaan was Conquered and divided amongst them so when the Jews shall be called then shall they have these Blessings wherewith Moses the Man of God blessed them in the fulness of them but that the great change which shall be in the Natural state of things may be more fully set forth I shall with such largeness as the Matter doth require whilst upon that eminent place Rom. 8.19 c. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God c. The Apostle had said v. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us Saints after a long time of Suffering must have a time of Glory As there is to be Eternity of Glory in Heaven so a set time also for the Church to have great Glory upon Earth This is proved from the earnest expectation of the Creature and from the Saints groaning within themselves and waiting for the Adoption even the redemption of their bodies The whole creation groaneth and Saints groan What doth this import but that the World is weary of its present state of bondage and longs for the time when it shall pass away in respect of its present corrupt and slavish estate and be in its refined restored and free state of which God hath spoken by the mouth of his Prophets The Heavens would be New Heavens the Earth would be a New Earth they look with outstretched Neck for that happy time when it shall be said The Lord bless thee O Habitation of justice and Mountain of holiness and when the Sons of God that have lyen among the Pots shall come forth and be as the wings of a Dove covered with Silver and her Feathers with yellow Gold and so have their glorious Liberty and Manifestation By Creature here is meant the World which is now subject to Vanity and in bondage to corruption It s condition is much worse now by Mans sin than it was at first This condition is contrary to its Nature It would be restored to its Primitive State and is not at rest till it be so Here are three things to be considered First What the Primitive State of the Creature was Secondly What its present bondage is Thirdly What the Liberty is which it longs for What the Primitive State of the Creature was these Particulars shew 1. The Creature was very good there was no evil in the Creation Gen. 1.31 God saw every thing which he had made and behold it was very good Full of vertue and Vigor of beauty and comliness Gen. 2.27 As Trees so other things were beautifull to the Eye there was nothing hurtfull and grieving No Thorns or Thistles for these were a part of the Curse Salomon complains all is Vanity and vexation of Spirit 'T was the Evil and bitter thing Sin which was the cause of it 2. There was Peace in the Creation a due subordination and subjection and Concord and agreement nothing of Rebellion nothing of enmity no wasting or destruction in any part of the Creation as a Fruit of enmity 3. The Creature was made that it might serve for the Honour of the Creator God made all things for himself Prov. 16.4 All his works were to praise him 4. Man was Lord of the Creation Rule thou over the Fowl of the Air the Fish of the Sea c. Gen. 1.28 And the Creatures did own Mans Dominion over them and became willingly subject to him the Beasts and Fowls came to Adam as it were to do him Homage and he gave them Names 2. What the Creatures bondage is This consists 1. In the loss of very much of its Primitive vertue and beauty Sin hath much defaced and enfeebled the Creation Meat hath not that strength to nourish which first it had Isa 3.1 we read of the Stay and Staff of the Stay of Bread and the Staff of Water If Adam had not Sined this Stay and Staff would have been a sufficient support of Mans life when it s going away 2. In that enmity which is now amongst Creatures There is a war in the Creation Creature against Creature In the Sea the greater Fishes devour the less the dry Land and Air are full of Beasts and Birds of prey 3. In the sinful abuse of Creatures they are in bondage to the lusts of Men and are many times provision For the Flesh to fulfill it in the lusts thereof We may observe that the First Sin was the abuse of a Creature God had forbidden to Men the eating of the fruit of the Tree in the midst of the Garden when Man did eat the Creatures bondage began This sinful a buse was its bondage And this one Creature being thus abused and brought into bondage God did in a way of judgment as a just recompence of Man's Sin leave the rest to be subject to Vanity and less helpful to Man Adam delighted in the forbidden Fruit more then in pleasing God and therefore was left to love and serve the Creature more than the Creator We may take Notice how this bondage is set forth in Scripture 1. Joh. 2.16 All that is in the World the lust of the Flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the World There are these several Lusts in the World and the World affords them their several Objects carnal Delight are the Objects of the lust of the Flesh worldly riches and Propfits are the lusts of the Eye And do please the Eye Eccles 5.11 When goods increase what good is there to the owners saving the beholding them with their Eyes and when these worldly things are enjoyed and Men prosper and grow great thereby then Pride usually compasseth them about as with a Chain and so they become the Pride of Life Now this is the bondage of the Creatures to feed the lust of the Flesh the lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life We may observe that all these lusts did meet in and made up the first sin the Forbidden Fruit was fair to the eye there was the lust of the Eye there was a lust to eat of it and an eating to satisfy that lust so there appeared the lust
shall take place Mic. 4.13 I will consecrate their gain to the Lord. And their substance to the Lord of the whole Earth then the Creature shall have its due and deserved Liberty Thus much for the Change which will be in the Natural State of Things 2. There will be a Change in the Civil State of Things there will be New Heavens and a New Earth in a political sence for in the New Earth dwelleth righteousness All Civil Government will be administred in a way of Righteousness for as Amos. 5.24 Judgment shall run down like Water and Righteousness as a mighty stream In Antichrist's Kingdom unrighteousness cruelty and oppression hath been a mighty Stream but that sinful Kingdom must be destroyed and after this Judgment shall dwell in the Wilderness and Righteousness shall remain in the fruitful Field and the work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of it quietness and assurance for ever Isa 32.16 there shall not be then any Throne of iniquity establishing mischief by a Law But that which above all doth commend the happiness of those Times in point of Government is this Government then will be Theocratical and Divine so that there will be another Divine Common-wealth more glorious than that of the Jews heretofore After the Jews were brought out of Egypt as God made them a Church in the Wilderness so also a Common-wealth and God himself was Supream amongst them and gave them as a Moral and Ceremonial so a Judicial Law so that he was their King and Law-giver and their Divine Common-wealth was not to end till the coming of Christ according to that Prophecy of Jacob Gen. 49.10 the Sceptre shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come Jacob's prosperity was to grow at last into a Kingdom and Common-wealth and to continue till the coming of Christ The Scepter of this Kingdom was given to Judah now though the Ten Tribes revolted from the Scepter and after were carryed Captive and did not return and so were without a King and without an Ephod c. yet Judah did remain as a Divine Common-wealth till the coming of Christ and Judah had right to the Sceptre though sometimes it was violently wrested out of the hand of Judah yet of right it did belong to Judah till Shiloh came and then Judahs Sceptre did return to him that gave it and then the Jews Crucifying the Lord of glory God did suffer their City to be Trodden down of the Romans and then their Common-wealth till that time continued in the Tribe of Judah was utterly destroyed and they were carried Captive into all Nations till the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled and when these shall be fulfilled then shall the Jews have again a Divine Common-wealth And Joseph and Judah being Joyned together they shall have one King as is evident Ezek. 37.22 24. I will make them one Nation and one King shall be King to them all David my Servant shall be King over them That is Christ who shall reign in Righteousness and give them Civil as well as Spiritual pastors even Judges as at the first and Counsellers as at the beginning Ezek. 34.23 I will set up one Shepherd over them and he shall feed them even my Servant David and how happy they shall be then is shewn I will make a Covenant of peace with them and the evil Beasts shall cease out of the Land and they shall dwell safely in the Wilderness and sleep in the Woods I will make them and the places round about my hill a Blessing there shall be showers of Blessings Now as Mr. Baxter once said It is this Theocratical polity or Divine Common-wealth which is the unquestionable Reign of Christ upon Earth which all Christians are agreed may be justly sought and the temporal Dignity of Saints which would undoubtedly much bless the World And he sayeth whether there be any other Reign of Christ to be expected that is by his visible personal Abode This controversy I do not now determine For my own part I reverence the Ancients that were of that mind and many latter that have followed them I am my self as meerly Neutral in it as in almost any point of so great moment so often propounded to my consideration I oppose them not in the least nor am I for them Now as for the Visible and personal Abode and Reign of Christ upon Earth having given some arguments for it already I shall here adde something more to see whether any contrary or Neutral Judgment may be more inclined to the owning of this Truth And 1. this truth doth clearly spring forth from 2 Pet. 3.13 Nevertheless we according to her Promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness Where we may take Notice of these particulars First there will be a great and blessed change wrought in the World so far as to make all things New even to the bringing in of a New World This is the Saints expectation we look c. the Apostles and other Saints did then and therefore we ought now to expect this New World consisting of a New Earth as well as a New Heaven Secondly this New World shall have Inhabitants in it for there shall be Men in it which may be gathered from those words In which dwelleth Righteousness If Righteousness then both the subjects and the Objects of it that is Men living and acting Righteously and these shall Dwell in this New Earth they shall not be as wayfaring Men that tarry but a Night but shall dwell in it They shall not be here after this New Creation but a day with Christ of twenty four hours and then ascend to Heaven not a day as Men count a day but a day as 't is with the Lord that is a Thousand years and a Thousand years as one day v. 8. which hath been taken as a Periphrasis of the day of Judgement This is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a World to dwell in and for Men to abide in so long as to be called Inhabitants And this Inhabited World is chiefly that which Christ is said to Rejoyce in Pov. 8.31 Rejoycing in the habitable part of his Earth and my delights were with the Sons of Men. This is the Land which shall be called Beulah Isa 62.4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken neither shall thy Land any more be termed Desolate that is without Inhabitants but thou shalt be called Hepzibah and thy Land Beulah For the Lord delighteth in thee and thy Land shall be Married to Christ that is Thirdly Christ shall come personally at his time when the World that now is shall perish and the New Heavens and the New Earth shall be Created For this Personal coming is that which the Scoffers derided asking where is the promise of his coming v. 4. Again this is that which the Apostle asserts v. 10. The day of the Lord will come and come as a Thief in the Night which Mat. 24.43 and 1
in the Porch of Solomon's Temple called Boaz in its strength and is not at all shaken by what is said against it 4. Another argument may be taken from 2 Thess 2.8 Then shall that wicked one be revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Lawless one that will be above all Laws and not Subject to any The Cannon-Law tells us who this Law-less one is even the Pope who is Solutus ab omni Lege humana not bound by any Humane Law nay not by Divine Laws neither for he dispenses with those and binds and looses them at his pleasure now this Lawless one must be removed out of the way It may be well said of him what the Jews wickedly said of Paul away with such a fellow from the Earth for it is not fit that such a Lawless one should live God judgeth so of him and therefore hath said The Lord shall consume him with the Spirit of his Mouth that is by the Preaching of the Gospel The Word shall consume him and cast him into a bed of Languishing and at last he shall destroy him with the brightness of his coming that is at the day of Judgment as our English Annotators say well when Christ shall appear personally so that Antichrist will be destroyed by the brightness of Christ's Personal appearing Is it so and must not the Church have Being in the World long after the destruction of that Wicked One and be in that glorious pure and peaceable Estate of which the Lord hath spoken so much by the Mouth of all his Prophets since the World began Most evident it is that it must And shall not Christ then Reign upon Earth at that time The Scripture saith so The Lord shall be King over all the Earth 5. The last Argument which I shall now mention shall be taken from 2 Thess 1.5 where the Apostle speaking of the Saint's Persecutions and Sufferings comforts them with this It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven in flaming fire and with his mighty Angels Now this must be meant of his Personal coming in that his mighty Angels shall come with him which argues a Personal coming as we see Matth. 25.31 The Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Angels with him And when he shall thus come then and not before shall the Church on Earth so long persecuted afflicted and tost with Tempests and not comforted have rest and freedom from persecution The Church must have a peaceable and glorious Estate upon Earth but this will not be till the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels and that in flaming fire to recompence tribulation to those that trouble the Saints and to the troubled Saints rest So this shall be at the revelation and appearing of Christ And observe farther what the Apostle saith Rest with us with us Apostles and with the Prophets that went before What doth this hint but that then the Apostles and Prophets and all the dead Saints shall be raised and come with Christ and then the living Saints the Church so long under persecution and trouble in the World shall have rest with them And thus I have endeavoured by Scripture to clear this Truth and little from Scripture 't is which I have urged against it but Reason steps in and declares its dissent from and dislike of it fancying some great Absurdities that will attend this Opinion and some Difficulties which will press it Shall Heaven come down and be upon Earth saith Reason But as the Apostle saith Who art thou O man that repliest against God So who art thou O man what is thy Reason that it should argue against God Doth not the Scripture say That Christ shall come from Heaven and all the Angels with him and the dead Saints shall be raised and come with him If this be for Heaven to come down and be upon Earth then so it must be for thus much is agreed upon on all hands All the difference is about the Time of Christ's Abode how long he shall continue some say but a day and that in that short time he shall dispatch all the Work of the last Judgment Others do conceive this will take up longer time and it may be well agreed If Christ and all the Angels and Saints may leave Heaven and be here on Earth one Day why not as well many Days and if Days why not Years and if Years why not a thousand Years as the Scripture saith Certainly Reason hath as much ground to argue against his câ—ming at all as against a longer stay upon Earth than one Day when he shall come Nay Reason may argue strongly from what hath been done that Christ may come and appear to his People on Earth For the second Person the Son of God came to Abraham and appeared in a humane shape and talked with him and told him he should have a Son And may we not as well conceive he may as well appear to the Seed of Abraham when they shall be called He went also to Sodom and led Lot out thence and destroyed Sodom by Fire and Brimstone And may he not as well come Personally to save his many Lots and destroy his Enemies as he shall at Armageddon And consider we farther that the first coming of Christ was foretold in the Old Testament Isa 7.14 A Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Son whose Name shall be Immanuel And he was to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and to be cut off Now if these things should be weighed in the Balance of Reason what would it have said but as Reason did in Mary How can these things be and yet we know that all came to pass Now this may be well concluded that Reason might have more colour to have pleaded against the Prophecies of Christ's first coming and suffering death than it can have now to plead against his Personal Reign upon Earth But He came and suffered death and Reason may now argue If he came to be Humbled on Earth why may he not come to be Exalted on Earth If he came to appear in the form of a Servant upon Earth why may he not come and appear in the form of a Lord and of the King of Kings And if he was some years upon Earth in his state of Humiliation why may he not be for more years here in a state of Exaltation If he did come to suffer upon Earth why may he not come to reign upon Earth And 't is to be observed when Christ spake of his Death Peter 's Reason withstood it for Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee Now I would not suffer my Reason to argue against his personal coming and reigning which the Scripture gives such great ground to